WILFRED Bouma helped PSV Eindhoven to their eighth Cup and first for nine years last May. Now he has his sights set on Cardiff and helping Villa to their first final in seven seasons.

Bouma opened the scoring when PSV defeated Willem II 4-0 at the De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam.

It sealed their fourth league and Cup double and it gave Bouma a taste for silverware as he embarks on his first cup game in a Villa shirt tonight after missing their previous half-dozen through injury.

"Scoring in the final last year was a great feeling but it is nothing compared with the FA Cup," he said. "It was nice to win it and for the players it is big but the people in Holland are only interested in the league."

Bouma knows Villa face a huge challenge at Manchester City, who dominated the original tie at Villa Park.

The Dutch defender said: "We are at the stage now where every game is big but this is something different. If we win, we go through to the last eight with a home game to come. That says enough. There will be a big home crowd but once the referee whistles we won't hear the Man City fans."

Bouma also missed the 3-1 defeat at Manchester in October with a hamstring injury and despite their poor form that night he is confident Villa can get into the next round.

"I saw the game on TV in my hotel room. We always want to do well, home or away, but over the last couple of months results away have been better than at home.

"Normally it is the opposite but we want to keep the away form going. Man City have a good home record but everything can be turned around. We are hopeful it will be our night. We know what we want and we don't really care what others think."

Bouma admits he is delighted to be back playing after two months of frustration with a knee injury.

"My confidence is there but I still need more matches to get to full sharpness," he said. "I've played two full 90 minutes and it's gone okay. The most important thing is there has been no pain."